No Love For Magic
by medchan
Summary: Merlin and Uther have a rocky relationship at best but sometimes, just sometimes, there's a hint at something more underneath the palpable tension. Drabbles. Some are related, some are not.
1. Chapter 1

Merlin/Uther

Loosely inspired by **Totally-out-of-it**'s deleted scene in **The Sword in the Stone**. Merlin and Uther have a rocky relationship at best but sometimes, just sometimes, there's a hint at something more underneath the palpable tension. Drabbles. Some are related, some are not. Mostly Uther and Merlin with slight hints of companionship bordering on friendship. A few instances of fathering from Uther toward Merlin.

Also, I know I'm behind on my other Merlin fic and I'm truly sorry. I am. I will try to update it before I go out of the country in less then a week. Until then, I hope you enjoy this little, lighthearted nonsense.

**Set: 1x04 The Poison Chalice, ending**

* * *

It all started after the poisoning incident. After bravely drinking the poison to save his son, sticking to his conviction that it _was_ poisoned, even on threat of punishment, he'd taken an interest in the boy. How could he not? He looked incredibly pale when he visited a few days after Arthur delivered the cure. He might have tried to stop him, and he was still angry that he somehow contrived to save him despite being locked in the dungeon, but he wasn't horribly disappointed that he didn't die. In fact, he ran into him three days later, quite literally, because he'd come to check on the boy. He heard Gaius arguing rather heatedly as he walked down the hall to the physician's chambers. He paused outside the door; he was King so he was privy to everything, but Gaius rarely argued like that unless it was serious.

"You're not ready, Merlin!"

Ah, so it was the boy.

"I'm fine, Gaius." His voice was weak, strained, but determined. Uther reached for the door, intending to see what was going on.

"It's much too soon, my boy! I fear—"

"I'll be fine, Gaius. Really, I will." The door wrenched open and the servant practically tumbled into Uther's arms, much to both their surprise and chagrin. His cheeks flushed and he quickly backpedaled and despite the fact that he was swaying slightly on his feet, he managed to stay upright. "Sire! I, er, wasn't expecting you. I, I mean, I'm sorry! It, erm, won't happen again!"

"It wouldn't have happened at all if you'd stayed in bed like I told you too." Gaius groused.

Merlin shot him a tired look that was no doubt supposed to look fierce. Uther was just barely able to make out him mouthing the words _'not now'_ to the physician. Both older men snorted, although Gaius sent his King a wary look at the noise. The servant managed only to look exhausted and sheepish. "I'm sorry, Sire. Did you need something…?"

"Where were you heading to?" Uther waved his concern away, more interested to find the root of the problem.

The servant seemed both pale and embarrassed as he shifted, his swaying renewing with more vigor. "I, um, was going to attend Ar—your son. The prince. Sire."

He was used to supplications but the boy seemed downright nervous around him. Not in the normal way, which made him feel powerful, but in a way that seemed to annoy Uther rather than flatter him. He turned his probing look on the physician. Gaius sighed and shook his head.

"I believe he should not be out of bed, Sire. I do not believe him well enough to be about, much less attending to the strenuous duties that a prince's manservant requires."

"There you have it. The Court Physician has spoken, boy. See to it he rests further, Gaius." He frowned as he looked over Merlin one last time. "And feed him as well. He's looking rather… gaunt."

He turned to leave, pausing when he heard a throat cleared pointedly behind him. He paused in the doorway, raising an eyebrow at the servant. He quickly ducked his head in deference. "S-Sire. Wasn't there… Wasn't there something you needed? Medicine… perhaps?" He licked his lips nervously.

Uther gave him a haughty look. "I've already achieved my purpose here. Take care of him, Gaius. If nothing else, he will at least make a decent food taster for my son." With that, he swept out of the room.

* * *

Merlin blinked at his departure, so shocked by the entire encounter that he didn't even fight when Gaius led him away from the door. Instead, he allowed himself to be pushed back to the sickness cot and sat on the edge. Gaius fussed over him for a few minutes before Merlin finally managed to look away from the door. "What was that all about?"

"I believe, Merlin, the King just came to check up on you."

More blinking occurred and Merlin's face went blank with shock. Gaius tapped his slackened jaw closed. "It's impolite to leave your mouth open, Merlin." He chided gently. It didn't seem to get through as the young warlock desperately tried to comprehend what was just said.

"But… _why?_" He gasped finally.

Gaius sent a wary look at the doorframe. "I fear the King has taken a bit of an interest in you, Merlin. You must tread with more care from now on." He too was shocked by the interest. Uther's mood swings on the matter were nothing new; he felt entitled because of his position as King. He was always right, regardless of how the situation turned out. What surprised the physician was his interest in Merlin's maintained health. He cared little for servants, preferred it that way, and had never taken an interest in making sure they were _fed_ before. He wondered if this was a sign of some sort.


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin/Uther

Loosely inspired by **Totally-out-of-it**'s deleted scene in **The Sword in the Stone**. Merlin and Uther have a rocky relationship at best but sometimes, just sometimes, there's a hint at something more underneath the palpable tension. Mostly Uther and Merlin with slight hints of companionship bordering on friendship. A few instances of fathering from Uther toward Merlin.

Merlin and Uther centric but I plan to add bits of Morgana, Gwen, and Arthur later.

**Set: 1x06 A Remedy to Cure all Ills, ending**

* * *

Nearly six months had passed since Merlin came to Camelot. Just barely five months, a little longer, when Uther first became aware of the inkling that his son's manservant might not be all that he appeared to be. He would have done anything, asked of Gaius _anything_ to save Morgana's life. He loved his daughter, his beloved child, and if there were a way to save her, he would have jumped at it. Magic or no, he would have embraced it and any person wielding it, just for her life to be spared. It was why he did not look too deeply into the matter, just accepted it at face value when that charlatan claimed to save Morgana's life. She complained to him in private, that something had not seemed right. That she felt him fiddling with her ear. He had passed it down to disorientation from the brain bleed. Then he'd given him that blasted potion, paralyzing him. Paralyzed, he could do nothing to prevent the beetle meant to be his doom. He'd done his best to seek reprieve, pretending to let unconsciousness claim him. He would give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd killed him as he pleased.

When he left him, the pain in his head had been excruciating. It was hard to focus on anything. Yet he had heard the familiar of Gaius when he entered his room, and the bumbling of his servant. Surely Gaius would help him, save him! The voices drew nearer, although they were hushed. The two of them were having a leisurely conversation. What were they conversing about while he lay here, dying? He tried to focus on the words and only caught the tail end of the conversation. _"…he'll die if you don't."_ Gaius was speaking to someone. Then he heard Merlin calming voice speaking words, a language both familiar and one he couldn't quite place, to him, _over_ him. He felt him cupping his ears, felt the beetle moving away from the painful path it had dug in his ear canal, and finally, he was free of it. So sapped of strength, he was too weak to even open his eyes. He couldn't even focus on the words around him. As he slipped into a true, peaceful unconsciousness, his last thoughts were it was a strange world when the servant who'd saved his son, in turn, saved him.

The next morning, he'd forgotten the thought. He was mildly surprised to find the boy by his side, tending to him. Gaius returned with a cloth to cool his head but he waved the boy away irritatedly. He spoke softly, in a subdued tone, but quickly retreated from view. He also sent Gaius away, under the ruse that he wished to change. He sought out Gaius, and in his own way, asked for his forgiveness. He was the one person he could trust in the fight magic. However, one thing did not fade from his mind. Merlin, the servant, had a nice voice when he spoke softly. It was the sort of voice that set one at ease. For some reason, he had a feeling that it was a comforting voice. When had he come to the impression that a servant could give any sort of comfort, he wondered. There was just something about the serving boy, though… He vowed to keep a closer eye on him.

At least he looked to be eating better.


End file.
